Developing superheroes in specialist lending

Tanya Elmaz is at the point in her career where she knows exactly the type of leader she is. Without hesitation, she lists off her descriptors: she leads with emotional intelligence, uses intentional language, is extremely goal driven and, ultimately, sees herself as “an architect of results.”

“I’m really clear on what my purpose is in the workplace,” Elmaz, director of intermediary sales at Together, says. “My ego doesn’t show up too much. I develop other people; I highlight their superpowers and help create a path for them into the future.”

Empowering superheroes: autonomy, ‘learning junkies,’ and a no-blame culture

If Elmaz is doing her job right, everyone else’s jobs look easy. She forges ahead and lays the groundwork for a smooth experience, both for her people and for the brokers they work with. But before turning her mind to targets, technology projects, or broker initiatives, Elmaz starts with the basics: fostering great connections with her team members.

That foundation gives rise to trust, which is directly tied to Elmaz’s deep-rooted belief in autonomy — or what she calls a coaching mindset. If one of her team members asks her a question, she’s known to ask it right back. It’s confusing at first, she admits, but it’s critical in pushing people forward.

“I’m all about empowering individuals to make their own decisions and giving them support — and further training — if they make the wrong ones,” she explains. “Sometimes I do push them off the proverbial ledge, but I hold their hand and we jump together. And of course, there is a safety net to catch them.”

The secret to a high-performing team is ensuring an environment of psychological safety: an infrastructure that allows people to throw themselves into their role, make mistakes, and have support in learning how to do better next time — and the cycle repeats over and over again. It’s all about improving the work they do, Elmaz stresses, and that no-blame culture goes hand-in-hand with a mindset of continuous improvement.

“We’re all learning junkies; everybody wants to do better than yesterday,” Elmaz says, adding that if she hears about a mistake, the first thing she says is great — because now they can collectively improve the scenario.

Elmaz is protective of the culture she’s established within her team, noting it’s not the result of checking ten boxes and boom, it’s done. Culture is a living entity that must be nurtured and as a leader, she’s not above the ecosystem.

Quick to identify her superheroes, Elmaz looks to highlight the superpowers they may not see within themselves yet.

“The only way to bring those superheroes out is in an open environment where it’s truly collaborative and the team effort is more important than the individual effort,” she says.

As much as she focuses internally, Elmaz’s team isn’t an island. The next step is to build trust outwards with a genuine relationship mindset. When they understand how brokers’ business works, what’s important to them, and what the expectations are — and vice versa — the stage is set for success.

2026 and beyond: more tech, more education, more impact

If the last few years have been about building the right culture, 2026 is about amplifying what that culture can do. For Elmaz, that starts with smart use of technology. Together is embarking on a three‑year tech journey, with the first launch of its new system slated for 2026 and further developments planned through 2027 and 2028.

There’s a lot in specialist lending that needs the human touch, particularly bespoke cases and broker conversations, and technology makes more room for that.

“We’re taking the administrative parts of what we do away from our superheroes so that they can do more superhero work,” Elmaz explains. “Brokers rely on us for our speed, our flexibility, and our understanding.”  

Alongside tech, broker education continues to be a major focus. Above and beyond its robust resource hub, Together recently launched its Broker Academy to specifically nurture new brokers, and 2026 will see that work deepen and broaden.

Projects on the horizon include teaching brokers not just about Together’s products, but market and economic trends, customer research, and indexes. This expansion is well within Together’s wheelhouse, Elmaz notes.

“We have 51 years of experience and nearly 850 employees — that’s a lot of knowledge in one business and we want to impart that to brokers as much as we can.”

Elmaz is also planning to formalise work that has, to date, been more organic: mentoring and supporting women in finance. A dedicated project is on the cards for 2026, and Elmaz hopes to bring several other lenders along with her. It builds on the momentum of her women‑in‑finance educational events, about which she constantly hears that there's nothing else focusing solely on women’s development and career progression in the industry.

That representation is important to Elmaz, who notes other leaders may not look, sound, or operate like her, but “that’s all the more reason to stand up and make sure everyone can see and hear me.”

“You have a voice as a leader, and you've got to use it in the right way — there's no point in doing that from the back of the room. If others think, ‘I may be a bit like Tanya, I can do it too,’ then you’re not just talking the talk. You’re leading from the front.”

While growth inevitably means more moving parts, for someone who preaches that every challenge can be reframed to opportunity, it’s simply the next chapter in a journey Elmaz has already mapped out: keep freeing up her superheroes, keep investing in brokers, and keep showing, not just saying, what good leadership looks like.

Tanya is supported by Intermediary Sales Directors who share her passion for empowering brokers to make the most of specialist lending opportunities.

Maeve Ward’s expertise lies in Personal Finance while Michelle Walsh leads on Commercial Finance. Nick Parker oversees Networks and Clubs, while Abigail Pickford leads Operations and Chris Evans heads up our team of Roving Underwriters.

See them in action here

This article was produced in partnership with Together